Green Roof Installation in Gresham, OR

If you’re considering green roof installation for your home or business, it’s important to understand the basics of green roof design and maintenance. Knowing the key elements of green roof design will help you create a beautiful, sustainable roofing system that helps the environment rather than hurting it. At Gresham Roofing, we have over 50 years of experience in the roofing industry and have completed thousands of successful green roof installations. Call us to discuss the benefits of green roofing in Gresham, OR, and the surrounding areas or to schedule a consultation.

What Is a Green Roof?

A green roof is a roofing system that acts as an extension of your existing roof. A green roofing system has a high-quality, waterproof underlayment, a root-repellent system, a drainage system, a filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium, and plants. These layers create the ideal environment for plants to grow on your roof, creating a contained green space that benefits the building’s owners and users as well as the environment.

Benefits of Green Roofs

Many building owners and homeowners don’t fully understand the benefits of green roofs, so there aren’t as many in North America as in other countries. In Europe, you will see many more green roofing systems and green roof technologies, methods, and trends have advanced and become very well-established. The biggest benefits of green roofing systems are:

• Amazing aesthetic improvements over standard roofing systems.
• Contribution to landfill diversion by extending the lifespan of waterproofing membranes and reducing waste.
• Promotion of the use of recycled materials for roofing systems.
• Extended lifespan of heating and cooling systems, HVAC systems, and ventilation systems by reducing their need.
• Improved stormwater management as rain is used to water the plants.
• A natural filtration system for water that happens to run off the roof.
• Create a cooling effect that benefits the home or building and can reduce the Urban Heat Island effect.
• Improve outdoor air quality by reducing dust and allergens and capturing airborne pollutants.
• Improve public spaces and enhance morale.
• Create dual-use spaces like community gardens and recreational spaces.
• Improve insulation on the building and reduce energy usage and energy bills.
• Extends the lifespan of roofing materials by protecting them with plants.
• Reduces the risk of fires.
• Reduces electromagnetic radiation.
• Reduces noise.
• Contributes positively to the environment and makes the home or building eco-friendly.

Types of Green Roofs

Three common types of green roofing systems are used in the United States. Understanding these three types will help you determine which one is right for your home or business:

• Extensive – An extensive green roofing system is low-weight, uses a very thin layer of growing medium, and incorporates a mix of plants ideal for the roofing conditions, climate, irrigation, and installation needs.
• Semi-Intensive – A semi-intensive green roofing system uses a thick layer of growing medium and can support a broader range of plant types; however, it requires more extensive irrigation and maintenance.
• Intensive – An intensive green roofing system is only ideal for flat roofing systems. It uses the thickest growing medium and can support a much more diverse range of plants, trees, and shrubs. It is the heaviest type of green roofing system and requires careful irrigation and maintenance.

Incorporating Plant Selection for Green Roof installation

We encourage our customers to thoughtfully consider plant selection in their green roof design. The plants you can choose for your green roof will depend on the climate, the depth of your growing medium, the loading capacity of your roof, the height and slope of your roof, your commitment to maintenance and care, and the design of your irrigation system. The best plants to use for green roofs in Gresham, OR, and the surrounding areas are:

• Low-growing succulents
• Wildflowers
• Hardy, low-water use grasses and shrubs
• Small trees
• Aromatic herbs

Green Roof Installation Process

We need to inspect your roof before beginning the green roof installation process. We must assess its slope, structural loading capacity, and existing roofing system materials. We may need to improve its drainage system, waterproofing, and electrical and water supply capabilities. We will also consider how much sun and wind the roof is exposed to. We will walk you through each step of the process and provide updates along the way so that you remain completely informed. When we have created our final green roof design, we will give it to you for review and approval. If you approve the design, we will schedule a time to begin roofing repairs, roofing maintenance, or new roof installation before we begin the process of green roof installation. When roof repairs and maintenance are complete, we will schedule a date for green roof installation. The general process for installing a green roof is:

• Installing a waterproof membrane or underlayment.
• Laying down a plastic sheet as a root barrier.
• Installing a drainage layer or filter fabric.
• Installing irrigation components.
• Framing the area.
• Installing a growing medium.
• Installing plants and vegetation.

Why Choose Gresham Roofing for Green Roof Installation

At Gresham Roofing, we are a Green Roof Professional Roofing company. We have extensive experience designing and installing green roofing systems for homes and businesses. We will work closely with you to fully understand your needs and goals and to bring your vision of your green roofing system to life. We have extensive training and experience in installing vapor barriers and waterproofing membranes, and we work hard to ensure quality control of all elements of green roofing systems. We are a locally owned and operated roofing company that has been in business since 1968. We are committed to providing our customers with the best value in roofing services using quality products and workmanship. In addition to green roofing services, we also specialize in residential and commercial roof repair, roof maintenance, steep-slope roofing, roof replacement, and low-slope roofing.

Our Service Area

Our experienced roofing contractors offer high-quality, reliable roofing services throughout the Gresham, OR area, including:

• Portland, OR
• Portland Metro area
• PDX area
• Lake Oswego, OR
• Tualatin, OR
• Camas, WA
• Vancouver, WA

Schedule a Consultation for Green Roof Installation

If you’re interested in learning more about green roof installation in Gresham, OR, and the surrounding areas, our team at Gresham Roofing can help. Call us today or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation or request a free estimate. Our friendly, knowledgeable roofing contractors are standing by, ready to help.